Hanging in the Balance
by HeartOfAKid
Summary: Because Seiko was dead. Naomi was alone. And everything was hanging in the balance.


**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Corpse Party**

* * *

Naomi Nakashima found her eyes locked upon the soulless body that had once belonged to Seiko Shinohara.

Words were trying to form on her lips, tears starting to fill up Naomi's brown eyes, but for some reason she was frozen. Left standing there, clutching a rusted bucket with a tight grip that was beginning to loosen. Shock has rampaged through her body, denial over the fact that her best friend was now dead. She simply couldn't comprehend it.

The rusty bucket fell from Naomi's hands, landing on the floorboards with a large clatter.

Slowly, Naomi took one step back from the dead body of Seiko. Then another.

"Ahh...aahhh...ahhh"

Naomi was shaking now as the realisation began to settle in. As she stared at Seiko's lifeless body, swinging back and forth slowly, she heard screaming.

"Nooooooo!"

Then she realised it was her scream she was hearing, her despaired voice that was crying out for Seiko.

Naomi's hands were on top of her brown, short hair, pulling it in frustration.

Her fists were now clenched. Her eyes, now being squeezed together tightly. Naomi's head was pounding, worse than any migraine she had ever experienced in her life. Her breathing became quicker and quicker until she found herself hyperventilating.

Chocking back a sob, she tried to speak again.

"No..."

Naomi's legs gave way. She collapsed to the floor, only just managing to put her hands out in front of her to stop her head colliding with the dirty purple floorboards.

Anguish began to rise inside of her until it came out in one heart-wrenching scream.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Her scream lasted for what seemed like forever. When it finally tailed off, all that remained was a young girl sobbing on the ground.

"Why?!"

Questions swirled around in her mind, refusing to die down.

"Why would you hang yourself?!"

Seiko had been an extremely cheerful girl. Running around, full of energy and high on the joys of life. Her immature manner, her natural sense of humour and that goofy smile were often the highlights of Naomi's day.

* * *

_"H-hey Naomi?"_

_Naomi turned around to face Seiko, giving a small smile._

_"Hmm?"_

_Seiko grinned back, her cheeks turning bright red._

_"Do you have any of that ass medicine on you, by any chance? You know, the smeary stuff?"_

_Naomi stared back at Seiko's grinning face, a little taken back by what she had just said and how outspoken it had been._

_"What, again?!"_

_"Yep!" said Seiko, still grinning like a Cheshire cat. "My butt's been drier 'n a desert since we got here."_

_Naomi frowned and began rummaging through her school bag until she came across a small tube of a thick, white lotion._

_"Well, I've got some antibacterial cream, if that'll work..." Naomi's words trailed off as Seiko giggled._

_"Thanks!" Seiko exclaimed, taking the tube from her friend's hands. "I'm gonna butter up my pooper with it real good!"_

_And with a flirty wink, she turned from Naomi and skipped into the girl's bathroom._

* * *

"You were smiling and laughing all this time..." Naomi murmured softly, raising her head to look at Seiko's face.

Even in Heavenly Host, a dangerous dimension were blood was a common sight, she had remained that cheerful personality. Even when Naomi and Seiko discovered that the place was near impossible to escape from, Seiko had been the optimistic of the two, always reassuring friend.

"Didn't you say we'd find a way out of here together...?"

Was it an emotional breakdown that had drove Seiko to hang herself? After an argument with her best friend, had she finally lost all of her self-control? The truth was somewhat grim.

Seiko hadn't killed herself. She had already forgiven Naomi when she had died. No, she didn't kill herself. It was Naomi.

Naomi, her best friend, possessed by malevolent spirits that roamed that school, was in the process known as 'The Darkening'. She had dragged her confused friend to the third floor, tied a noose around her neck, hung her up like an animal in the butcher's shop, only coming back to her senses when it was too late.

But Naomi didn't know this. But she would. In the future.

Her head was still pounding away, worries and fears rushing through her mind.

"Stop this..." She cried, wanting it all just to be over.

To her though, it was all over. Just not officially. She was alone now. Her friends that had also come here were nowhere to be seen, but nonetheless stuck in the same situation.. She was stuck in this dimension, all alone with nobody but the dead, rotting corpses scattered around her.

What had that spirit said? Something to do with at least that she had someone to die with? But that wasn't true now. Seiko had died alone and in agony, and that was the same fate she imagined for herself. Seiko had deserted her, in Naomi's eyes.

"Don't leave me all by myself...!"

Tears streamed down her face. Hot, salty tears that she couldn't control.

"Say something!"

But it was a fruitless attempt to reach Seiko. Because Seiko was dead. Naomi was alone. And everything was hanging in the balance...

* * *

**Author's Note: Using the scenes in the actual game, I decided to write a short story on Seiko's death scene. Yet again, this is another story written at 1AM in the morning.**

**I'd like to thank my best friend Mariella for drawing the cover image and beta-reading this for me!**


End file.
